Baghdad: Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi affirmed on Thursday that corruption represents the most serious threat facing the state and that the government is waging a fierce battle to combat it and eliminate its sources.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a press release that “Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi received the Chairman of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, Taha Hatif al-Difai, and members of the committee.”

“The Prime Minister emphasized that the state rests on two fundamental pillars: the rule of law and integrity, while he stressed corruption represents the most serious threat facing the state today, and that the government is waging a fierce battle to combat it and eliminate its sources,” according to the statement.

He pointed to the importance of unifying efforts and strengthening cooperation and coordination between the legislative and executive branches to support anti-corruption measures and prosecute those involved in it.

“Corruption sometimes begins with inflated project costs, and the government is working to implement pre- and post-audit procedures for government contracts, based on the principle that prevention is better than cure, to reduce waste and protect public funds,” he stated.

He emphasized the important role played by the Parliamentary Integrity Committee in supporting the fight against corruption, following up on cases, and working to eliminate its manifestations and root causes.

For their part, the Chairman and members of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee affirmed “their continued support for efforts to combat corruption and prosecute corrupt individuals,” noting “the importance of passing the Internal Oversight Authority Law, which has already undergone its first reading in Parliament.”

They stressed the necessity of reviewing previous government contracts suspected of corruption or involving inflated costs, as well as the importance of state institutions expediting their response to the Integrity Committee’s requests for necessary documents and information regarding priority contracts and files.